Regular online shoppers might feel a little disappointed as Maharashtra government has banned the use of plastic which might result in a costlier online shopping in coming months.
Post the plastic ban, e-commerce industry has come to alert adopting use of corrugated box particles and paper softeners to package products shipped outside as well as inside Maharashtra, which will result into a rise in packaging price thereby elevating the delivery cost.
Additionally, some e-sellers have also increased the thickness of cardboard boxes that are more expensive than plastic packing. This is the reason e-commerce companies are planning to charge the extra cost from buyers.
Notably, Paper packing costs higher than plastic and thermacoal packing by as much as 50 to 70 per cent. In such a scenario, E-commerce companies have claimed that their cost of shipment has increased by 75 per cent which ultimately has to be borne by the customers.
The price of one cardboard box roughly ranges from Rs. 8 to 13. Hence, E-commerce firms dependent heavily on plastic will thus have to find out a new way to manage the cost of packaging and shipments.
Earlier, too industry leaders have protested against the ban on sale and manufacture of plastic bags citing harms to the economy. However, this time its a direct impact on e-commerce which will eventually affect the consumers.